incredable animal but to be hypo melanistic doesn't the animal have to lack black pigmentation.



Actually, no. The actual term Hypo means "less than normal" while Hyper means "more than normal". Obviously, melanistic means dark pigmentation. Look the terms up in a dictionary, they are clearly defined. So Hypomelanistic actually means less than normal dark pigmentation which is actually what this animal is showing, a lessening of black pigmentation but not a complete absence of which is what an albino is.



You should possibly look at finding another choice of names as I think the name hypo in the hognose world comes with some stigma and confusion attached to it.



You are absolutely correct, there is a lot of confusion about the Evans "Hypo" which is not a hypomelanistic animal at all because it does not fall into the actual definition of the term. Unfortunately, "Hypo's" have been erroneously called this for a long time and the term has stuck, but it really should be called something else, like an Evan's Albino or at least some kind of form of Albino like how the Pink Pastel's are considered albinos even though they do not look like a classic yellow and red albino. Some of us consider "Hypos" Tpos Albinos although we really don't have much proof of that either other than referring/comparing to what we believe are other Tpos animals that have been so defined.



Either way, I think the term Hypo for the animal shown is fairly spot on whereas we as a community need to reconsider the Evan's Albino as just that, an albino.



Having said that, I'm also still surprised at how many people still call Axanthic hogs as Anerythristic even though that's incorrect as well as several of us have pointed out in the past. Even the originators of both lines, BHB and Russo call their animals Axanthics which is where the the rest of us have gotten ours from, so why do some people still call them Anerythristics?
-----
Troy Rexroth

Rextiles

[ Show Entire Thread ]